Daily Archives: January 16, 2014

Psoriasis Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Pictures Slideshow

By: khalid mehmood

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Psoriasis Symptoms, Causes and Treatment Pictures Slideshow - Video

What is psoriasis?

Psoriasis (say "suh-RY-uh-sus") is a long-term (chronic) skin problem that causes skin cells to grow too quickly, resulting in thick, white, silvery, or red patches of skin. Normally, skin cells grow gradually and flake off about every 4 weeks. New skin cells grow to replace the outer layers of the skin as they shed. But in psoriasis, new skin cells move rapidly to the surface of the skin in days rather than weeks. They build up and form thick patches called plaques (say "plax").

The patches range in size from small to large. They most often appear on the knees, elbows, scalp, hands, feet, or lower back. Psoriasis is most common in adults. But children and teens can get it too.

Having psoriasis can be embarrassing, and many people, especially teens, avoid swimming and other situations where patches can show. But there are many types of treatment that can help keep psoriasis under control.

See a picture of psoriasis .

Experts believe that psoriasis occurs when the immune system overreacts, causing inflammation and flaking of skin.

In some cases, psoriasis runs in families. Researchers are studying large families affected by psoriasis to find out how it is passed from parents to their children and what might trigger the condition.

People with psoriasis often notice times when their skin gets worse. Things that can cause these flare-ups include a cold and dry climate, infections, stress, and dry skin. Also, certain medicines, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and medicines used to treat high blood pressure or certain mental illnesses, may trigger an outbreak or make your psoriasis worse.

Smoking, especially in women, makes you more likely to get psoriasis and can make it worse if you already have it.

Psoriasis is not contagious. It cannot be spread by touch from person to person.

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Psoriasis Causes, Symptoms, Treatments, Home Remedies

What Is Psoriasis?

The symptoms of psoriasis vary depending on the type you have. Some common symptoms for plaque psoriasis -- the most common variety of the condition -- include:

Psoriasis can also be associated with psoriatic arthritis, which leads to pain and swelling in the joints. The National Psoriasis Foundation estimates that between 10% to 30% of people with psoriasis also have psoriatic arthritis.

Other forms of psoriasis include:

Pustular psoriasis, characterized by red and scaly skin on the palms of the hands and/or feet with tiny pustules

Guttate psoriasis, which often starts in childhood or young adulthood, is characterized by small, red spots, mainly on the torso and limbs. Triggers may be respiratory infections, strep throat, tonsillitis, stress, injury to the skin, and use of anti-malarial and beta-blocker medications.

Inverse psoriasis, characterized by bright-red, shiny lesions that appear in skin folds, such as the armpits, groin area, and under the breasts

Erythrodermic psoriasis, characterized by periodic, fiery redness of the skin and shedding of scales in sheets; this form of psoriasis, triggered by withdrawal from a systemic psoriasis treatment, severe sunburn, infection, and certain medications, requires immediate medical treatment, because it can lead to severe illness.

People who suffer from psoriasis know that this uncomfortable and at times disfiguring skin disease can be difficult and frustrating to treat. The condition comes and goes in cycles of remissions and flare-ups over a lifetime. While there are medications and other therapies that can help to clear up the patches of red, scaly, thickened skin that are the hallmark of psoriasis, there is no cure.

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Psoriasis - Symptoms, Triggers, and Causes of Psoriasis on WebMD

There are five types of psoriasis. The most common form, plaque psoriasis, appears as raised, red patches covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells. Psoriasis can occur on any part of the body and is associated with other serious health conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease and depression.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that causes raised, red, scaly patches to appear on the skin. Learn more about the symptoms of psoriasis and how it is diagnosed Learn more about the symptoms of psoriasis and how it is diagnosed

Psoriasis appears in a variety of forms with distinct characteristics. Typically, an individual has only one type of psoriasis at a time. Learn more about the types of psoriasis

Psoriasis can show up anywhereon the eyelids, ears, mouth and lips, skin folds, hands and feet, and nails. The skin at each of these sites is different and requires different treatments. Read more on where psoriasis shows up

Psoriasis can be mild, moderate or severe. Your treatment options may depend on the severity of your psoriasis. Read more about psoriasis severity levels

Researchers believe that for a person to develop psoriasis, the individual must have a combination of the genes that cause psoriasis and be exposed to specific external factors known as "triggers." Read more about what causes psoriasis

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Learn about plaque psoriasis, guttate psoriasis, inverse ...